A basket full of produce from Walker Farm

A few weeks ago, I drove to Putney to pick up a chicken order from my friends Justin and Vanessa at Leaping Bear Farm. I’m a loyal consumer, and aside from my emotional connection to these lovely people (our first summer in Vermont, we did a little part-time work doing chicken chores), their chicken and eggs are delicious. While picking up my order, I ran into some friends and had “elevenses” tea. Then, my dear friend Ruth gave me three heads of napa cabbage plucked from the garden to take home to make kimchi. Since Walker Farm was on my way home, I dropped by, chatted it up with the lovely folks there, filled my basket with too much produce-onions, garlic, hot peppers, cauliflower, leeks, herbs, corn, and tomatoes, and headed home. What is more luxurious than a basket full of produce?

Later that week, Romaine and I went to have a creemee at Lilac Ridge Farm, where Romaine milks cows a couple mornings a week. We sat with Amanda, the farmer, for a bit. She mentioned that the traffic at her farm stand has slowed down this time of the year. People tend to forget that the farm stands are full of food, though the farms are bountiful right now. I looked around her beautiful farm stand filled with kale, onions, the last of the summer tomatoes, teddy bear sunflowers, and so much beautiful produce.

Our conversation inspired me to share a list of the farm stands I shop from and enjoy visiting. We live in Brattleboro and used to live in East Dummerston, so these are the farms in my area. There are SO MANY fabulous farms in our region that I want to support and visit, so this list will evolve and change as I continue to explore where I live. If you live in the area or are visiting, I encourage you to visit farms.

These farms have a shop or stand where you can visit and buy from directly. While some farms will take virtual forms of payment, it’s a good to bring cash or a good old-fashioned checkbook, just in case. BYO shopping bags and a cooler if you have a long way to go. I encourage you to support local small farms and farmers working hard to provide us with food!

I’ve organized this list by towns/location.

Brattleboro

Lilac Ridge Farm

264 Ames Hill Rd, Brattleboro, VT 05301

https://www.instagram.com/lilacridgefarm/?hl=en

Farm stand hours: 9 am - 6 pm every day

Amanda and Ross run this farm. I’m grateful for them because they have welcomed us into their community with open arms. I like visiting this farm for creemees (soft-serve ice cream with a higher fat content), produce, and flowers, as well as the cute dairy cows. Romaine milks cows here a few days a week, and we made creemee cups for them this summer.

Rebop Farm

1320 Sunset Lake Road, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301

https://www.rebopfarm.com/farm-store

Farm store hours: 9 am - 7 pm every day

Abraham and Ashlyn have a beautiful farm with gorgeous Jersey cows and a stunning farm shop. I love to get my meat from here and have subscribed to their winter meat CSA. Last year, I hosted my Madame Kim’s Supper Clubs at their farmhouse.

Wild Carrot Farm

118 Fairly Wild Wy, Brattleboro, VT 05301

http://www.wildcarrotfarm.net/farmstand.html

Farm stand hours: 8 am to 8 pm daily

This is a beautiful horse-powered farm with a gorgeous farm stand run by the lovely Jesse and Caitlin. I love how well-stocked their shop is with local produce and various local vendors from the region.

Dummerston

Bunker Farm

857 Bunker Rd, East Dummerston, VT 05346

https://www.thebunkerfarm.com/

We used to live near this farm so we would pop by for eggs, meat, and their incredible maple syrup. They also sell plants focusing on native species. In the colder months, if you see smoke coming from their sugar house, you can visit and watch as they make wood-fired maple syrup and get a little taste.

Scott Farm

707 Kipling Rd, Dummerston, VT 05301

https://www.scottfarmvermont.com/

Scott Farm is a beautiful farm with heirloom apples, pears, peaches, and other fruit.

Walker Farm

1190 US-5, East Dummerston, VT 05346

https://www.walkerfarm.com/

One of my faves! We’re here a lot, and I love the people who work here. They have many plants, produce, food, and products.

Putney

Green Mountain Orchard

130 W Hill Rd, Putney, VT 05346

https://www.greenmountainorchards.com/

Green Mountain Orchard has my favorite apple cider donuts in town. I like to come here for blueberries and apples.

Leaping Bear Farm

153 Plowden Rd, Putney VT, 05346

https://www.leapingbearfarm.com/

You can order online or see them at the farmer’s markets. I love to get my chicken and eggs here. The chickens are grass-fed, pasture-raised, organic, and delicious! When Romaine and I first moved to Vermont, we did some chicken farming with Justin and Vanessa.